1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to buttons, and particularly, to a double-shot molded button, and a method for making the double-shot molded button.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In order to control electronic devices such as media players and mobile phones, control buttons bearing graphic symbols such as letters, numbers and other symbols are widely used. The specific graphic symbols define corresponding functions of the control buttons. The buttons are typically made by a double-shot molding technology. A melted opaque material is first injected into a mold to form a base part containing a symbol. A melted translucent material is then injected to surround the symbol.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 together, a typical double-shot molded button 10 is illustrated. The button 10 includes a main portion 101, an inserted portion 102, and a base portion 103 supporting the inserted portion 102. The main portion 101 includes an operation surface 104 and a bottom surface 105 opposite to the operation surface 104. The inserted portion 102 and the base portion 103 are integrally formed and embedded in the main portion 101. The inserted portion 102 protrudes from the base portion 103 to the operation surface 104 of the main portion 101. The inserted portion 102 has several distal ends 102a opposite to the base portion 103 exposed to align with the operation surface 104 such that specific symbols are constructed to define a specific function. A user can thus operate a certain button 10 selected according to the specific symbol to carry out a desired operation.
However, to accommodate thinner electronic devices, the button 10 is designed thinner, a projection image of the base portion 103 is visible on the operation surface 104 of the main portion 101. In addition, if the main portion 101 is made of translucent materials, the projection image can be also seen on the operation surface 104 of the main portion 101. Therefore, boundaries that the operation surface 104 surrounds the distal ends 102a of the inserted portion 102 would be blurred by the projection image of the base portion 103.
What is needed, therefore, is a double-shot molded button that overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages. A method for making the double-shot molded button is also desired.